In Loving Memory of
K9 DRACO & Handler Officer: CASEY KOHLEIER
December 10, 2014

Photos?
Pontiac, South Carolina
Driver in Crash That Killed Officer and K9 Sentenced

A South Carolina man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in connection with a vehicle crash that killed an on-duty Pontiac officer
 and his police dog on 10/30/13. Jason C. Collins of West Columbia, South Carolina, was sentenced 12/10/14 in Livingston County
 Circuit Court. He pleaded guilty in August to four counts of aggravated driving under the influence and one count of reckless homicide. Twenty-nine-year-old officer Casey Kohlmeier and his dog, Draco, were killed when Collin's truck crashed into Kohlmeier's SUV
that was parked on an interstate median. A civil lawsuit filed by the officer's parents is still pending. The civil suit names Collins,
 a bar where he'd been drinking and his employer as defendants. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 DIAGO

December 17, 2013

Handlers: 1st Handler: Officer Aaron Sutherland
2nd Handler: Sgt. Chris Contreras
Porterville Police Dept.
350 No. D St.
Porterville, CA  93257
 

website - http://www.portervillepolice.com/

A beloved police dog has been euthanized due to medical complications, Porterville police said Tuesday. K9 Diago,
a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, was born in France in 2004 and brought to the United States about two years later.
 He responded to German commands and trained with Office Aaron Sutherland. In 2010, after Sutherland
transferred to investigations, Sgt. Chris Contreras became his handler. Diago retired in July and lived with
the Contreras family.During his almost 7-year career, Diago helped apprehend 135 suspects and was
 deployed more than 1,500 times in searches and other duties, saving the department thousands of
man-hours by finding people who were lost or hiding. He also competed in K-9 competitions
 and received numerous awards.   submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 DEX
November 21, 2013

Handler: Officer Dave Lemmer
Bannockburn Police Department

2275 Telegraph Rd

Bannockburn, IL 60015

 

WEBSITE - http://www.bannockburn.org/government/bannockburn_police/ 

Bannockburn police saddened by K-9's abrupt death  ( CANCER / SPLEEN )

Bannockburn police Officer Dave Lemmer spent Friday running errands, keeping busy, trying to distract from the
 loss of his four-legged partner, Dex. "It still hurts. Yesterday was a lot worse," Lemmer, 57, and
a Mundelein resident, said. "But it still hurts." Dex, an 8-year-old German shepherd and sworn member
of the Bannockburn Police Department, died Nov. 21. Lemmer had noticed the dog was uncharacteristically
 lethargic upon waking up. An ultrasound at the veterinarian's office revealed a tumor had
ruptured Dex's spleen. Lemmer had to put him down.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
 OFFICER CASEY KOHLMEIER & K9 DRACO
October 31, 2013

Handler/Partner: Office Casey Kohlmeier
Pontiac Police Department, Michigan

Wed Night Accident Kills Pontiac Officer and K-9 Partner on I-55

Police are still investigation an accident on Interstate 55 that killed a 29-year-old Pontiac police officer and his canine partner.  Casey Kohlmeier was parked in the turn-around just north of Illinois 23 in Livingston County Wednesday night.  The “Bloomington Pantagraph” says a northbound vehicle struck the squad car killing Kohlmeier and his police dog Draco.  Kohlmeier was a U.S. Air Force veteran who joined the department in 2007. submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA & Frank Brunetti, NJ

MORE:

October 31, 2013 (PONTIAC, Ill.) (WLS) -- Radio/tv
Pontiac Police Officer Casey Kohlmeier was killed when his squad car was struck on I-55.
His police dog, Draco, also died in the crash.

Police say another car hit Kohlmeier's squad car, which was stopped in the I-55 median turnaround just north of Route 23.
 The driver of the other car is hospitalized, but his or her condition is not known. Police say it was raining at the time
 of the crash, but it isn't clear if weather played a role. At this time, they're not saying if the driver who struck
Kohlmeier's squad will face charges.

"Our investigators are conducting interviews with witnesses and we are working with the Livingston County State's
Attorney's Office. No further information will be available until our investigation is complete,"
Lt. Steve Riesenberg said. Flags at the Pontiac Police Department were lowered to half-mast. "Casey was a 6
year veteran with Pontiac police department and a veteran of the United States Air Force. Officer Kohlmeier
 left behind his loving parents, his family and a whole community of friends," Police Chief Jim Woolford,
Pontiac Police Department, said.

In 2009, Kohlmeier and his dog Draco found Tracy Pitchford's 2-year-old daughter when she got lost in a corn maze.
 "I had so much gratitude, so much respect for him. If it wasn't for him, we may have never found her,"
Pitchford said. "Casey was a great person. He had a great personality. He was just very kind, and so many people
loved and adored him." Chief Woolford said Kohlmeier was part of the Livingston County Pro-Active Unit,
 which is made up of several area police departments, and hoped to join the FBI.

"It's a hole that we're not prepared to fill right now. It means a lot to us. There's not an officer in this country
that doesn't regard Casey as a beloved friend so, we're deeply wounded," Chief Woolford said.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA & Frank Brunetti, NJ
 

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In Loving Memory of
K9 DEUCE

July 6, 2013

Handler: Officer John Vogt 

Ocean City Police Department

835 Central Ave
Ocean City, New Jersey 08226

 

WEBSITE - http://www.ocnj.us/index.cfm?fuseaction=content.faq&faqTypeID=29

K9 Deuce Died
Deuce, the Ocean City Police Department K-9 died on Saturday, July 6 with his handler, Officer John Vogt,
 and his family at his side. “He was my steady, faithful partner,” said Vogt. We went through a 28-week training
 program, which certified him as a patrol and K-9 narcotics dog. “Everything was cut short for him,
 it’s been really tough and we were very close. We worked together, day in and day out, since 2008.” Deuce,
 who Vogt said wore badge number 306, became ill over Memorial Day weekend in 2012. He struggled
through the summer with a gastrointestinal issue and, despite a special diet, was forced to stop working
in September. He was officially retired in February 2013.

“I hoped to bring him back to work, but unfortunately it just wasn’t happening,” Vogt said.
 Ocean City Police Capt. Steve Ang said Vogt is emotional about Deuce’s death. “Deuce was a police
 officer, but he was also a member of John's family,” Ang said. “It's been very difficult for him.
“We appreciate John's dedication and devotion to the development of this program.” Deuce, a 5-year-old
German shepherd, was a huge asset to the Ocean City Police, Vogt said. “He was always there, just
his mere presence on the scene, his bark prevented crime,” he said. “We’d show up and he would
 immediately (decelerate) a potential crime scene.

“He was a big deterrent, and kept all of our police officers safe.” Suspects, he said, often attempt to
challenge a police officer, but rarely challenged Deuce. “The dog sets a whole new tone,” he said. “He was
really nice to have around.” Deuce, he said, was an “excellent dog.” He assisted in the apprehension of his
 first suspect just two weeks after officially joining the Ocean City Police Department. “There was a burglary
 in progress at TJ’s Ice Cream on Battersea Road, late at night,” Vogt said. He said the police were
summoned and officers arrived to find the suspect at the cash register.

“So we sent Deuce loose,” he said. “The guy came out with his hands up, we didn’t use any
 force, whatsoever.” Deuce was also instrumental in apprehending a burglary suspect in the south end.
“The suspect was hiding under a porch,” Vogt said. Deuce tracked him down, he said. “A human police officer
would never have found him hiding where he was. This suspect was involved with more than three dozen burglaries,
 and Deuce was responsible for finding him,” Vogt said. Trained to sniff out narcotics, Deuce’s nose assisted
 the police department in numerous drug arrests.

Deuce, broke down barriers between the community and the police department. He visited schools
 and served as a community ambassador when he wasn’t helping to solve crime. “A lot of people really appreciated
 the fact that we had a dog,” Vogt said. Children in the Ocean City Primary School participated in a contest to
choose a name for the first K-9 to serve in Ocean City in nearly four decades. “He was a positive force for
the police department,” Vogt said. “The kids loved him. Everyone loved him. He helped all of the officers;
he was like having an extra tool in our belt.”

Deuce was born in Germany and raised and trained in North Carolina. He arrived in Ocean City courtesy
of donations from members of the community, including resident Pat Croce and Mayor Jay Gillian, who paid
 the freight to bring him to Ocean City and equipped a police car to service him. Community donations
helped pay for food, medicine and veterinarian care. “The Ocean City Humane Society went above and
 beyond for Deuce,” Vogt said.  Deuce was required to attend monthly training to remain
proficient. “We trained every day.”

In addition to working hard in Ocean City, Deuce also competed in the United States Police Canine
Association (USCPA) Region 15 Field Trials, often times placing in the top of his group. “We were
 together all the time,” Vogt said, adding that Deuce was more than a fellow officer. “The bond between
 a handler and a K-9 dog is incredible. It’s very, very sad to lose him.” Deuce, he said, was able to turn his
 “police personality” on and off in an instant.

"With his badge and vest on, he was an officer, but when the duo returned to the family home at the end
 of the work day, he was a loving family pet. “When we’d get in the car, he was all business,” Vogt said.
At home, he was a member of the Vogt family, playing with Roxy, a black Labrador mix. Vogt said his wife,
 Melisa, and children, John and Reilly, loved Deuce. “We all took a lot of pride in Deuce,” he said.
“Everyone is devastated by his passing.” Ang said that Deuce’s death is a loss for the community.
 “Deuce was  a big asset. We had a lot of great experiences with him. From a police standpoint, he was
 able to track down suspects, without risking an officer or a gun fight.  He was able to flush out a lot of
suspects for us,” Ang said. “He was also a big asset for community relations”
 Ang said the OCPD and city officials are evaluating the loss of Deuce and the value of a K-9 program
 to the community. He said it is too early to determine whether Deuce will be replaced. The K-9 program,
 he said, was an asset to Ocean City, but all variables must be weighed. “The upstart of a new K-9 would be
 between $8,000 and $10,000,” Ang said. “It’s too soon to evaluate. We’ll have to see how it goes."

"We have a trained handler in Officer Vogt, ready to go.” Ang said that it would take about a year to get a new dog
 back on the street, however. Meanwhile, Ocean City is able to access a trained dog when needed, through
shared services agreements with Somers Point and the Cape May County Sheriff’s Office. Vogt said that while
 some viewed Deuce as “just a dog,” to his fellow officers and his family, he was much more. “He was a police
 officer, my partner, my friend and a member of my family, whose main goal in life was to please all of us,”
 Even though his career and life were cut short, Deuce was a true asset to the police department
and community. He was very, very special and he will be deeply missed.”
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 DANJA - May 8, 2013  &  K9 BELLA - May 24, 2013

K9 DANJA DIED (kidney failure) - Handler: Officers Brian Gaylord  

K9 BELLA DIED (gastric disorder) - Handler: Officer John Greenwood
Toledo Police Department

525 N Erie St.
Toledo, Ohio  43604

 

WEBSITE - http://www.toledopolice.com/

Retired canines die 16 days apart - Officers thank veterinarians for caring for Toledo police dogs

Danja and Bella, retired Toledo Police Metro Drug Task Force Canine Unit dogs,
both died in the past three weeks.

Two Toledo Police Department retired canines died recently within a few weeks of each other. Danja, a 12-year-old
 German Shepherd born in Germany, died May 8 from kidney failure. Bella, a 12-year-old German shepherd from
 West Virginia, died May 24 from a gastric disorder.
 Their partners, officers Brian Gaylord and John Greenwood, presented a plaque last week to thank
 the veterinarians and staff at High Point Animal Hospital in Maumee. "We can’t put into words how
 much we appreciate all you have done,” Officer Greenwood told the staff during
 last Friday’s presentation. “The community needs to know how well you take care of our dogs.”

High Point has cared for Toledo Police Department police dogs free of charge since 1995.
 “It’s our way of giving back to the community,”  said Dr. Thomas Mowery,
 who offered his services to Officer Greenwood, whose personal dog was a patient at the clinic.
 The vet clinic also has treated the police dogs from the University of Toledo and the
Waterville Police Department.
Danja retired from the force in November, joining Bella, who retired in October. Their partners
 each took them to their homes to live out their lives, but Danja didn’t enjoy a more
 leisurely lifestyle, said Officer Gaylord.

“She would get excited when she would hear me get my keys out to go to work, and I’d have to
tell her she couldn’t go,”  Officer Gaylord said. “She hated having to stay at home.” Danja started with
the department in April, 2002, while Bella joined the force in October, 2004. Bella,
who was bred by a police officer in West Virginia, was an AKC Certified Pedigree,
and her official registered name was Princess Bella von Bear. Both dogs were trained to detect
 and alert to the odors of marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, hashish,
 LSD, and their derivatives.

Both officers have new police dog partners — German shepherds named Wespe and Tanko — who
had been living with their predecessors before they died. When Bella didn’t return from the vet the
 last time she went in, her housemate,
 Tanko, couldn’t understand where she had gone, said Officer Greenwood.
“He kept looking from room to room for her,”
 he said. “He really misses his buddy.”
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA

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In Loving Memory of
K9 D’JANGO

March ... 2013

Loveland Police Officer Rob Croner, left, holds back tears Wednesday as he is presented with a memorial
stone in honor of his beloved partner, D'Jango, during a memorial service for the K9 who died last week.
 Police Officer Steve Marchio, right, hands him the stone as Rob's wife, Christina Croner, far left, wipes away tears.

Robbie Croner, 10, cries as he looks at a shadow box with photos of D'Jango, his dad, Officer Rob Croner's
K9 partner, who died last week. The Croner family talked of their love for D'Jango and how he protected
them during a memorial service at the Loveland Police Department on Wednesday, March 13, 2013.

Loveland police dog D'Jango retired from his job last month, but he didn't seem to get that message. Up through
 his unexpected death last week, his loyalty toward his family never wavered. At his memorial service on Wednesday,
 his partner, handler and owner Officer Rob Croner told the crowd about D'Jango letting out his trademark,
intimidating bark in the car with his wife Christina after an exchange with a stranger he seemed to feel wasn't
 treating his family quite right. "He was still on the job, as far as he was concerned," Croner said.

It was a job at which the 9-year-old Belgian Malinois excelled. Lt. Leslie Young, head of the department's
K9 team, marveled -- through tears -- at his impeccable nose. In his seven years on the job, he was responsible
 for sniffing out thousands of dollars' worth of drugs. He put himself in harm's way on countless occasions.
"He always had my back and I could always count on him to stay in the fight," Croner said. But D'Jango also
went where police dogs usually did not. The K9s are typically used to track nonviolent people, but D'Jango
 received a lifesaving medal when he and Croner were tasked with finding a suicidal man and did so
before the man harmed himself.

"Had Rob and D'Jango not tracked him, he would have died," Young said. Croner and D'Jango were teamed
 together in the K9 unit in 2005. As Chief Luke Hecker sees it, Croner was a very good officer; D'Jango
 was a very good dog, but together, through the years, something special happened. "In the course of time, you
 came together as a team and you became extraordinary," he told Croner. The years also made him a vital part
 of the Croner family. The growl (call it hard purr) he made whenever he received a pet was deceiving -- Rob
Croner's wife Christina said that he was amazing with their kids, 10-year-old Robbie and 1-year-old Logan.

His commitment to Robbie and Logan was so strong that the Croner's had to put the boys together in one
 room so that D'Jango could sleep in between them. "D'Jango was a great dog and he was my best friend;
 he protected me and my brother," Robbie said. "He protected my dad, too." D'Jango's family and
extended family -- members of the Loveland Police Department -- gathered with laughter and tears
 to remember his funny growl, his huge bark, his love of the family cat. "He's part of the Croner family,
he's part of the K9 family and he's part of the police department family," Young said. The K9 unit
presented the family with a shadow box with D'Jango's badge, leash and accolades -- a gift that is
 given to every officer who retires but had not been given to a K9 before D'Jango.
submitted by Jim Cortina, Dir. CPWDA